Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
24 hours. Two stunning results on Arthur Ashe. Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, as well as defending titlist Novak Djokovic both beaten before the second week at a Major for the first time in a while, just weeks removed from their Olympic exertions on Parisian clay left the pair undercooked and lacking energy needed for a deep Flushing Meadows foray. Continue reading “US Open 2024: Olympic hangover sees Alcaraz, Djokovic both stunned in 24 hours”
Andy Murray clinched his 200th Major victory with a less-than-straightforward win in straight-sets against the unpredictable Frenchman Corentin Moutet, while 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev and America’s top-ranked player Jessica Pegula scored quick opening round victories elsewhere on Day 2 in New York. Continue reading “US Open 2023: Medvedev, Pegula win quick as Murray earns 200th Major victory”
Having struggled with poor form so far this season, two-time Major finalist Casper Ruud finished an eventful week in Estoril as a champion at ATP 250 level against a good friend in Miomir Kecmanovic, while US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe did the same overnight: ending a five-year wait for an ATP title, outlasting surging Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry in two tiebreak sets. Continue reading “Casper Ruud, Frances Tiafoe seal titles in Estoril and Houston, as Monte-Carlo gets underway”
The world no. 4, twice a Major finalist over the last twelve months, has slipped to a 5-6 win-loss record on what has quickly proven an arduous start to the season following a rough three-set defeat by Botic van de Zandschulp overnight in Miami – dropping over 500 ranking points as his struggles with form persist. Continue reading “Casper Ruud’s alarming slump continues, after painful Miami defeat overnight”
If only he could get the job done in straight-sets. Andy Murray doesn’t do things the easy way, but that makes his tennis more pulsating – win or lose – as the former world no. 1 was clutch again: rallying from 5-4 down in the deciding set to beat Olympic champion Alexander Zverev, earning a Qatar Open quarterfinal where he’ll play French qualifier Alexandre Muller tomorrow. Continue reading “Qatar Open: After Sonego scalp, Murray produces another nailbiting three-set win against Zverev”
Novak Djokovic recovered from 5-2 down in set one and emerged without enduring a three-set battle against another determined Frenchman, setting up another intriguing clash with Denis Shapovalov. Coco Gauff avenged a defeat three years in the making, before Emma Raducanu tearfully withdrew after sustaining a freak ankle injury midway through her R2 match… Continue reading “Tennis: Djokovic, Gauff edge their way to tight victories while Raducanu retires with ankle injury”
24 hours after adding role model Dominic Thiem to the ever-growing list of players he’s beaten so far this year, Switzerland’s Marc-Andrea Huesler ultimately proved too much for Jack Draper to handle during their competitive Winston-Salem quarter-final clash overnight. Draper has a chance to avenge his Queen’s defeat by Emil Ruusuvuori on Monday, in his US Open debut. Continue reading “Winston-Salem: Jack Draper downed in two draining sets against Swiss’ in-form Marc-Andrea Huesler”
Earning the biggest win of his career on Wednesday, dismantling Olympic champion Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-2 wasn’t enough. Dropping just two games against Emil Ruusuvuori on his 19th birthday, then recovering from a 4-1 first set deficit to overwhelm last year’s breakout man in home favourite Oscar Otte, Holger Rune can become the third-youngest champion in the Open Era if he beats Botic van de Zandschulp tomorrow. Inspired by a certain someone?
Continue reading “After Munich success, who isn’t paying attention to Danish teenager Holger Rune?”
Although an unspectacular semi-final and contrasting injuries saw the night session finish within a flash on Day 9, three new Grand Slam semi-finalists were sealed – two for the first time – as 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez’s dizzying tournament continued with a dramatic win over Elina Svitolina, before compatriot Felix Auger-Aliassime fended off Carlos Alcaraz overnight.
Continue reading “US Open 2021: Three new semi-finalists confirmed but Day 9 sadly fizzles out”
Russians ruled supreme on day three, as there were straight-sets victories for Daniil Medvedev (#2) and Daria Kasatkina (#25), while Andrey Rublev (#5) had a fiery response after relinquishing three set points to oust Spain’s Pablo Martínez in four. There were also comfortable wins for Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep while defending champ Naomi Osaka had a walkover. Continue reading “US Open 2021: Rublev, Medvedev win but Ruud stunned in four sets on rainy Day 3”
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